In a decisive move to combat environmental degradation and promote ecological sustainability, Nature Friends Humanitarian Foundation in partnership with the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) has officially joined the Lagos State tree planting challenge, designating Ikorodu campus of the
The initiative represents a significant partnership between academia, professional environmental bodies, and humanitarian foundations.
The event took on a deeper significance as it doubled as a commemoration of World Environment Day 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the institution, the Dean of the College of Environmental Design and Technology, Prof. Dare Abel, explained that the university is serving as a collaborative host for the planting exercise alongside the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) and the Nature Friends Humanitarian Foundation.
“By our association with the Nigerian Environmental Society and Nature Friends Humanitarian Foundation, we have come together to use our campus as a site for planting,” Abel said during the event.
He provided a clear breakdown of the planting logistics, revealing that the exercise would be strategically divided across the campus to maximize impact.
university as a primary site for the ambitious exercise.
“The Nature Friends Humanitarian Foundation has flagged off its tree planting exercise on a section of the campus, while NES will plant at a location near the College of Applied Social Sciences,” he added.
Abel, who spoke on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, emphasised the symbolic importance of the event by revealing that a seasoned environmental expert would lead the first demonstration.
“For the university, the exercise is not a one-off ceremony but a foundational step in embedding environmental consciousness into the campus culture.
“With its Ikorodu campus now serving as a living laboratory for reforestation and waste-to-wealth education, LASUSTECH has positioned itself at the forefront of Lagos State’s green agenda—proving that the seeds planted today are expected to grow into the canopy of a more prosperous, sustainable Nigeria,” he said.
The Founder of the Nature Friends Humanitarian Foundation, Mrs. Oluremi Monye, used the platform to issue a passionate call for a fundamental generational shift toward environmental sustainability.
Monye, whose foundation is based in Lagos State and specialises in the circular economy, revealed a long-term strategy centered on education and waste conversion.
She introduced the concept of the “green generation”—a cohort of young Nigerians trained to see waste not as an endpoint, but as a resource.
“We want to teach them how to convert waste to valuable resources in the society and make sure we have a green society and a prosperous Nigeria,” Monye said emphatically.
She explained that the foundation’s participation in the tree challenge, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, was just one facet of a broader educational mission.
After personally demonstrating how to plant a tree, which she said the foundation would nurture to maturity, Monye made a public pledge to return and verify the progress.
“See you this time next year, 2027 World Environment Day,” she said, challenging both the institution and the students to maintain the momentum.
The event concluded with members of the foundation, and LASUSTECH staff and students fanning out across the designated zones to plant saplings.
